The recent attack at The Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md., in which a man who had been nursing a grudge against the newspaper shot and killed two reporters, an editor, an editorial writer, and a young sales assistant, struck close to home in more ways than one. Several years ago, on a freezing winter’s night, somebody broke most of The Star’s front windows. Speculation in the office centered on a guy who’d been furious about his name appearing in the police news — much like the shooter in Maryland — but no one was ever caught. Nor was that incident the only one of its kind. Way back when Everett Rattray was editing The Star, a man brandished a rifle at him and threatened to shoot up the place.

Every paper, unfortunately, has stories like that; they come with the territory, all the more so if it’s local. Never, though, have journalists been under attack in this nation as they have from the day Donald Trump took office. In Russia, maybe, they shoot dissenting news people on the streets — not here, not  yet anyway. But Mr. Trump, with his unbridled talk of “fake news” and newspapers as “the enemy of the American people” has so contaminated the prevailing atmosphere that more people than not now say they distrust or disbelieve everything they read or hear. (With one exception, of course: Fox News.)

There’s been no indication whatever that the murders at The Gazette are in any way connected to the president’s divisive rhetoric. But it ought not be too much to hope that in their wake, he makes a dispassionate reading of the First Amendment he so often abuses, and comes to understand that at its heart is the right of all Americans to say what we believe without fearing for our very lives.

A fuss that, on the surface, has to do with the East Hampton Library’s request to hold its Authors Night fund-raiser and children’s fair on town-owned land in Amagansett has riled a certain subset of old line Democrats. But the ire may be payback directed at Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, who the objectors see as the main force behind the nomination of David Lys, a former registered Republican, to fill a town board seat and run for election as a Democrat in November. 

One could simply ignore the imbroglio as a case of “if he’s for it, I’m against it,” but that would miss the danger of intrapartisan divisions — as well as possibly lead to the ouster of an already valuable and hard-working first-time public official.

In Mr. Lys, the town board found a political moderate, young father, and deeply involved member of the community. One would hope that this would have been enough for the Democratic naysayers, considering they already hold a super-majority on the board, but it was not. Instead, they have thrown mud at Mr. Lys and Mr. Van Scoyoc in a quest for political purity. One Democratic activist went so far as to compare the supervisor to President Trump, an outrageous assertion so absurd that it speaks for itself. 

It is a little difficult to believe that some Democratic stalwarts would take such an obviously zero-sum approach to who runs Town Hall. Even if Mr. Lys were secretly aligned with local Republicans, as a single opposition vote against a four-person Democratic town board majority, he would not represent a major threat. At least as we see it, Mr. Lys puts East Hampton before party, and, anyway, has changed his registration in advance of the run to serve out the remainder Mr. Van Scoyoc’s term. And even if he were to remain registered as a Republican, or perhaps join one of the other political parties, it is important to remember that single-perspective dominance of government is a far greater problem. 

The anti-Lys faction has said to expect a primary challenge against him to determine who will stand in the general election in November. Fair enough. Let the party as a whole decide. In the meantime, those Democrats who are making trouble should be satisfied with the clear four-vote advantage they have on the town board and save their powder for the far more important battles to come as Election Day nears, such as those that will define this country’s very future.

It’s that time of the year again. With schools finally out and kids with summer energy to burn, the East Hampton Town Junior Lifeguard and Nipper Guard programs started up this week. These are water skills and safety programs with East Hampton Town lifeguards as instructors. Swim evaluations began in the spring at the Y.M.C.A. East Hampton RECenter. From the age of 9 up, the morning programs are held at the ocean. Nippers, as the younger participants are called, train in calmer bay waters in Amagansett and Montauk. 

Given that we are surrounded by water, these programs are vital. Knowing how to deal with currents and waves — and getting pointers on swimming techniques from experienced guards — builds confidence and self-esteem. The programs also provide a feeder track for further training, forging young recruits who will be the lifesavers of the future at both public beaches and private facilities.

John Ryan Sr., the longtime guiding force behind the town lifeguards, is fond of saying that no one has ever drowned at a protected beach here. While not every kid who jumps in the water as a junior lifeguard or a Nipper will eventually progress to watching over others in the water, the skills they learn may prove valuable in other ways. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun. Everyone involved deserves a tip of the sun hat for a job well done.

We were all thankful when we learned that a pedestrian who was struck by a car on Saturday morning just before 9 on Pantigo Road in East Hampton Village would be okay. However, the circumstances of the accident should serve as a reminder to both drivers and walkers about how fine the line is between safety and tragedy.

According to data drawn from federal reports, more than 5,900 pedestrians were killed in the United States last year; about 129,000 went to hospital emergency rooms for nonfatal injuries. Those most at risk year in and year out are the young and those over 65. And the trends are not good; the Governors Highway Safety Association said that the number of pedestrians killed by motor vehicles hit a 33-year-high in 2017. Increased cellphone use has not been tied to the increasing death and injury toll. Rather, a National Transportation Safety Board report blamed excessive speed and drunken driving.

Crosswalks by themselves are not sufficient protection for people on foot. The victim struck on Saturday was crossing in a designated place and an illuminated crossing sign indicated it was okay for her to proceed. The driver of the vehicle that struck her told police that she just did not see the pedestrian in the crosswalk.

Therein lies the key caution for those on foot: Drivers are as likely not to see you as to see you. Making eye contact is a good idea, and never assume anything when stepping off the sidewalk.

For all its popularity and spectacular shoreline, Montauk has inadequate beach parking. This is most acutely the case at Ditch Plain, which is both a well-known surf mecca and a sunbathers’ favorite. Parking there seemed almost an afterthought until recently, when East Hampton Town undertook small-scale expansions at so-called Dirt Lot and Otis Road, and the reconfiguration of the main lot closest to the lifeguards.

A further step toward making Ditch beach parking a little more rational is to be considered this evening in Town Hall. Proposals include banning vehicles with trailers, other than those licensed for food vending, and making the main, largest parking lot residents-only. This may be worth a try, but we are not sure it is the best approach.

One concern is that the already bonkers situation at Dirt Lot, especially when there is a good swell running, will be made worse as vehicles with pricey nonresident parking stickers jostle for the few available spots. At Otis Road, the relatively few available parking places already tend to fill up for the day while beachgoers pursue the summer lifestyle on the sand. Cramming all nonresident permit holders into these small spaces is likely to make things worse.

Meanwhile, the larger lot, the one with Ditch’s too-funky restrooms, will be half empty at times, like the residents-only lot at Indian Wells in Amagansett since that restriction was imposed about four years ago. The new rule is expected to pass, however.

The East Hampton Town Board should remain open-minded about Ditch Plain parking as it unfolds between now and the end of the season. One solution might be to allow nonresidents into the big lot after, say, noon, giving the locals first dibs and allowing everyone an equal chance after that. An alternative might be to make the Otis Road or Dirt Lot spaces resident-only. The town could also buy an upland parcel somewhere for parking, with a shuttle bus taking people to the beach.

Or — and this is probably the best idea of all: The town should ante up in a big way to buy the former East Deck Motel property, adding adequate parking and a proper beach facility, like that at Main Beach in East Hampton Village or Sagg Main in Sagaponack. It would be costly, for sure, but a wise investment for the future.

East Hampton’s beaches are its crown jewels. It’s high time that officials in Town Hall, who must realize this, act accordingly. We believe public support for a major upgrade would be overwhelming. Just tweaking parking rules at the most popular stretch of sand in the entire town will never be enough.

Even as the Trump administration sides with big internet service providers in setting the stage for major changes in the way consumers are billed for going online, New York is among a handful of states actively fighting back. 

Everything from student homework to entertainment and vital government and insurance services is being done digitally these days. That is why the concept of a content-agnostic web is essential. Under a new Federal Communications Commission rule, access could be broken into tiers, with slower speeds for some services. This has been described as deeply unfair and potentially innovation crushing.

Already, cable companies have been trying such schemes, offering faster downloads at greater cost, for example. Taken to an extreme, a company like Altice, which owns both Optimum Online, which has a near-monopoly on the South Fork, and Newsday, could put the brakes on competing media, such as The New York Times. AT&T, which is set to take over Time Warner, could throttle down the streaming service of competing Fox News while boosting CNN. 

The New York State Legislature passed a bill this week to try to protect equal access to the internet. It would prohibit state and local governments from using the services of companies that did not adhere to the principles of net neutrality. The fight is far from over, but Albany’s emerging position is an important step toward a level field for all players, large and small.

Rarely, it seems, does an experiment involving South Fork roads produce changes for the better, but this is the case with a trial just ended in Water Mill, which temporarily eliminated a stoplight at Montauk Highway and Station Road and, instead, set it to blinking while the U.S. Open was underway at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Anecdotally, the test appears to have been a smashing success.

A staggering increase in traffic over the past decade is at the root of problems for drivers trying to squeeze through the hamlet, especially eastbound from County Road 39. The average number of vehicular trips daily in the area soared from about 29,000 in 2005 to more than 40,000 in 2016, according to the New York State Department of Transportation. At peak times, such as during the morning and evening “trade parade” and on weekends, the number might be far greater.

While the blinking-light experiment was underway, trips that might have taken an hour fell in some cases to 20 minutes. This was a very big deal for commuters and tradespeople, giving them back precious minutes over the course of the week at the busiest time of year. State transportation officials were to have collected traffic flow data during the Open. Many drivers hope the data will show that eliminating the stoplight and possibly making the Station Road intersection right-turn-only should be permanent.

There is not a whole lot of daylight, at least on the surface, among the three candidates for East Hampton Village trustee whose names will be on Tuesday’s ballot. Rose Brown, Arthur Graham, and Bruce Siska are facing off, with the top two vote-getters winning seats. Mr. Graham and Mr. Siska are incumbents; Ms. Brown is taking her first shot at elected office. Narrowing the choice from three to two is difficult; all of the candidates are able and qualified.

Setting policy for East Hampton Village is no small thing. Village Hall must tend to the high-rent downtown retail hub, watch over the ocean beaches, tend to roads and public spaces, and meet the needs of diverse residents. This is in a climate of extreme real estate pressure and ongoing demands for police, fire, and ambulance services. Add long-term threats from sea level rise and concerns about deer and water pollution, and the relatively small municipal board has a very large portfolio to contend with.

Of the three candidates, Ms. Brown and Mr. Graham seem more willing to re-examine the status quo than Mr. Siska, but only marginally so. All three are eager to see more apartments for year-round occupation above stores on Main Street and Newtown Lane. All three favor some form of sewage treatment for the central area of the village. All three want tougher building standards to slow the hulking suburbanization of the village’s side streets.

While Mr. Siska feels that the public is happy with the way the village is being run, Ms. Brown and Mr. Graham seek to shake things up a little. For example, both would like a new comprehensive plan, which would take the pulse of existing residents and provide a map for future growth. Ms. Brown would show a little more leniency toward the village’s handful of inns. Mr. Graham is eager to do something about leaf-blower noise, at least during the summer season.

Part of Ms. Brown’s pitch to voters is that she is substantially younger than the current board members and would bring a different perspective as well as provide a conduit to a social circle not often heard from in village deliberations. We do not intend to show disrespect for the long-serving member of the village board, but it is hard to argue that relative youth would not be a valuable addition.

Mr. Graham strikes us as something of a fire-baller, which might grate on some but is a useful trait in local government. We very much like his strong commitment to a modern wastewater treatment system downtown, as well as to encouraging new apartments whose occupants might work in help-starved local businesses. 

Mr. Siska has been an important part of village government for almost 25 years, but in making an endorsement, we must evaluate who among the candidates would be most likely to contribute energetically going forward. By that measure, Ms. Brown and Mr. Graham are our choices. Election Day in the village is Tuesday from noon to 9 p.m. at the Emergency Services Building on Cedar Street.

A cold calculus has dominated the unusual multi-candidate Democratic primary in New York’s First Congressional District this year. Of seemingly more concern to many active party members is who stands the best chance of defeating the incumbent, Representative Lee Zeldin, rather than determining who may be the most qualified. At the same time, some Democratic strategists are likely to prefer a middle-of-the-road person who might draw some moderate Republicans to their column. Such realpolitik might feel appropriate in the age of Trump, but to have effective government voters should always hold their candidates to high idealistic standards.

For a variety of reasons, Mr. Zeldin is an unacceptable voice for the First District. From a once-promising start as a state legislator, he has withered under hot Fox News studio lights into a hissing, sycophantic Gollum that might make J.R.R. Tolkien proud. As one of the first members of Congress to embrace Donald Trump, Mr. Zeldin broke with his traditionally moderate district. Since the 2017 election, he has shied away from open public appearances, giving rise to the cynically named group Let’s Visit Lee Zeldin, and being driven further underground and away from his constituents.

As the June 26 primary approaches, Democratic voters must sift through the remaining hopefuls: Kate Browning, Perry Gershon, Vivian Viloria-Fisher, Elaine DiMasi, and David Pechefsky. Of these, Ms. DiMasi and Mr. Pechefsky are the standouts, if not in name recognition at least in background and worldview. Filtering further, in the #MeToo era, it seems important that a woman be selected to represent this region in Congress, where women make up less than 20 percent of elected representatives. This puts the focus on Ms. DiMasi — and there is much more to this former Brookhaven National Laboratory physicist and project manager than her gender.

Throughout her long-shot campaign, Ms. DiMasi has spoken about a facts and evidence-based approach to policy. She is running largely on a pitch for clean energy and clean-energy jobs, which are seen as boosts to the First District’s tech and construction sectors. As a scientist, she has grave concerns about the economic impact of Washington’s gutting of research funding, a dollar drain that could leave the United States behind competitors overseas, where money for research and development is more free-flowing.

At a time when truth itself is under assault from the White House, candidates with a strong grasp of the facts, like Ms. DiMasi, are all the more important. In our eastern Long Island district, where climate change, economic growth, and reality-based immigration policy should be at the top of the agenda, Ms. DiMasi is the best equipped among the remaining Democratic candidates. With less than two weeks until the primary, she deserves a close look by those voters who would like to put brainpower back in the equation. 

East Hampton has not suffered so shocking a loss in modern times as the deaths on Saturday of four people when a small plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Ben Krupinski and his wife, Bonnie, both 70, were influential members of the South Fork community, as builders, restaurateurs, and quiet philanthropists. Their only grandson, William Maerov, 22, was a promising young man with the world in front of him. Jon Dollard, a pilot aboard the twin-engine Piper aircraft, was 47 and also anticipated many good years ahead. We grieve for the losses that their families and friends now must endure.

Ben and Bonnie Krupinski were at the top of a multi-faceted empire here. The Krupinski company was known for high-end houses, as well as a string of public and charitable projects, from the now-iconic new Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill to the restoration of a modest house in East Hampton that had been the home of George Fowler, a Montaukett Indian whose tribe was the victim of the brutal dispossession of their ancestral lands in the late 19th century. Ben and Bonnie Krupinski understood that they had benefited from having grown up here, and they were dedicated to giving back. 

They were restaurateurs, too, operating the local favorite Cittanuova and the consistently impeccable 1770 House on Main Street in East Hampton. They also were founders of the East Hampton Business Alliance. Ms. Krupinski, a member of the Bistrian family, was a force independent of her husband, advocating for her extended family’s interests, lately on the future of land they owned in Amagansett. They also were politically active, contributing to local Republican candidates and speaking out frequently at town and village government meetings.

But beyond the Krupinskis’ business and political accomplishments and their considerable charitable giving, they cultivated and maintained ties to others who helped make this place a real community. The Krupinski organization has been described by many since Saturday as like a family. Its members were loyal and had the ability to excel at what they did. Mr. Maerov and Mr. Dollard were part of that extended family.

This feeling of family is perhaps the greatest legacy that Ben and Bonnie Krupinski leave behind — and though the pain is unfathomable to their families and friends, their kindness to others and guiding hand will be what we remember most.